Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-02
EBW DEVELOPMENTS FROM ROME
A Sudden Change Cardinal Gibbons Hurry
ing Home.

BALTIMORE, Md, April 5O.-PrlVate
advices from Paris have reached this city
to the effect that Cardinal Gibbons, who
was not expected to sail for America until
the latter part of August will return at
once.
Any steamer which sails from Havre
within the next few days may contain him
among its passengers.
0stensibly the motive for this sudden re-
turn is Illness for the Cardinal has been
in bad health for 4 number of years, and
has suffered considerably during his pres
ent trip
Inreality there are other reasons beESRth
the surface. The tumult ana unrest among
the Catholics OF the United States, who are
chiefly workingmen, are likely to increase
during the summer, when thousands are
thrown out of employment and delivered
over to the teachings of leaders who tell
them that all their woes are owing to a
perverted organization of society, innately
corrupt, and who call upon their followers
to destroy.
ACTION OF THE HOLY OFFICE.
A prominent churchman here says
Cardinal Gibbons has put his position
regarding the Knights of Labor upon rec
ord, and the facts he presented to the Holy
See were of sufficient import to make a
suspension Of Cardinal Taschereau's con-
domination necessary. But those who are
inclined to view the matter as settled in
favor of the Knights-some of the papers
say the Church has sanctioned the organ
ization-are shooting beyond the mark.
The word sanction would signify, from
its derivation, sort of solemn religious
blessing bestowed upon the order. But
the action of the Holy Office has been sim
ply to withdraw its decision concerning
the order, which was based upon Cardinal
TaScheTeau' report OF the facts, because
Cardinal Gibbons report presented other
facts in serious conflict with the first. This
court is constituted like all other courts of
law, where former decisions can he revoked
and the case held in suspension when fur
ther facts are presented. This is what has
occurred at Rome.
THE KNIGHTS CASE STILL PENDING.
"The case of the Knights of Labor is
still pending. 1t is well known that Car
dinal Gibbons views are not entirely in
accord with the views of other Archbish-
OBS Certain ArChbishops hold that the
constitution of the Knights of Labor is all
wrong. Cardinal Gibbons holds that it is
not. Now, while Cardinal Gibbons is the
chief prelate in this country, the Others
also have a right TO be heard. The case
remains in suspense until all their facts
and views can be laid before the Holy
Office at Rome.
THE threatening aspect of affairs has
caused the sudden return of the Cardinal.
1t was laid down as law by the recent
Plenary Council that when 4 society was
to be condemned it should he done only
by council of all the Archbishops in the
country, duly summoned for the consider
alton of the facts Hitherto the anomaly
has existed of society condemned in one
diocese and approved in another. This
often
LED TO SCANDALOUs QUARREIS.
"a council of the ArchbishOps-twelve
in all--can be speedily brought together,
and, be it noted, these councils will he
held without any ceremonial display. The
twelve gentlemen who will meet Cardinal
Gibbons at his residence in this city will
come and depart with hardly an echo of
their presence going abroad. They will
meet like committee around q table for
the discussion of a weighty matter, but
one entirely relating to facts. Each Arch
bishop will submit the data he has gath
cred and the views they have led him to
form, and concordance Of opinion will, if
possible be reached. If they fail in this,
then two reports will be made, majority
and a minority report, and both transmit
ted to Rome. A careful consideration of
the matter may lead the Holy Office TO
continue the Suspension and reserve its
final decision for future development of
facts. Of course throughout the most
amicability will mark the discussions OF
the Archbishops, even though their views
widely diverge. e.
STRUCK THE KEYNOTE.
at is idle TO forecast what the upshOt of
the matter will be. believe most of the
ArchbishOps are on the liberal side of the
question, and will recommend the Holy
Office to allow the X. of l.. free play. Even
if there are some trivial flaws in the or
ganIzatiOn, il is not the part of the church
to examine them too closely. If Catholics
are prohibited from joining organizations
whose principles are not perfect, very few
political parties would receive their votes.
Cardinal Gibbons struck the keynote when
he said that dangerous theories in this
country had hest be left to that good sense
and natural business of the American pub